1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a set of metal bodies with rectilinear axis and constant cross-section for making a member for the fixing and support of contiguous vertical plates in point-supported suspended facades. The present invention further relates to a member for the fixing and support of vertical plates in point-supported suspended facades obtained by putting together the metal bodies with rectilinear axis and constant cross-section.
2. The Prior Art
For making point-supported suspended facades it is known to use so-called crosses, i.e., members for fixing and supporting vertical plates, comprising a central hole for fixing the cross to a supporting structure (typically an upright) and, according to the number of vertical plates to be supported, from one to four arms provided at their ends with circular holes or slots for insertion of fixed or articulated joints, to which the corners of the plates to be supported are fixed.
According to the prior art, the crosses are made of light-alloy castings or by the stamping of steel.
In view of the need to have crosses with a variable number of arms and the need to provide both circular holes and slots for insertion of the fasteners, it follows that it would be necessary to have in store a relatively large number of different types of crosses. This would call for a large number of dies and would therefore involve high production costs. In order to reduce the costs, it is preferred to produce only crosses with two or four arms and to cut off the excess arms as required.
In addition, it is preferred to make only slotted openings in the arms, which can be subsequently enlarged if required to convert them into circular openings.
However, all such subsequent processes have a marked affect on the total processing times, and hence on the final cost of the crosses, as well as on the general appearance of the crosses.